07/23/08

Jimmy & the Blowfish

Mana Mia!

One of our top FODs checked out MANA Foodbar (1742 W. Division St.; 773-342-1742), Jill Barron and Susan Thompson’s (Sushi Wabi and De Cero) new vege-focused boîte in Wicker Park. Herein the report, verbatim: “Just had lunch at Mana. Very organic. Reminds me a little of the Momofuku Noodle Bar in NYC. Very small, like the portions. Blue cheese tart with caramelized onion was YUM!, but one bite full for $7. The spanakopita was more generous for $8—firm and very...

Posted at 05:01 PM in Dish | Permalink | Comments (3)

07/16/08

Burgers, Bagels, and Boasts

Quick Hit

Perennial (1800 N. Lincoln Ave.; 312-981-7070), the newest spot from Kevin Boehm and Rob Katz (Boka, Landmark), looks sharp. Natural organic touches dominate: birch trees, wood-grained tables, aqua-striped upholstered banquettes. The canvas flaps stretched across the ceiling seem a sly reference to Boka’s décor. But that was the beginning and end of any connection to the team’s other enjoyable restaurants. Wings and beer sounded like fun but the weird combo of...

Posted at 05:13 PM in Dish | Permalink | Comments (5)

07/09/08

Doing the Bristol Romp

Monkey See, Monkey Eat

The Bristol, an “affordable artisanal neighborhood eatery and bar” from John Ross (former GM of One Sixtyblue) and a couple of other partners, is coming to Bucktown on September 9th. (We are sworn to secrecy on the location. Soon, readers, soon.) One of his partners, Chris Pandel, is a former sous-chef at Tru and right-hand man to Rick Tramonto; he says nothing on his regular menu at The Bristol will...

Posted at 05:02 PM in Dish | Permalink | Comments (1)

07/02/08

Tree Huggers

Chop Down the Tree, Plant a New One
Oak Tree Restaurant (900 N. Michigan Ave.; 312-751-1988), a Chicago institution that has held court in the Bloomingdale’s building for 18 years, has closed for three months so the space can be gutted and reintroduced on October 1st as Oak Tree Restaurant & Bakery. “It’s a little tired, design-wise,” says Hale DeMar, the owner. “It’s a very, very sophisticated neighborhood, and we are going to provide a new environment: stylish, urban, cosmopolitan...

Posted at 04:43 PM in Dish | Permalink | Comments (0)

06/25/08

Power Play

Jerry Rigged

Now that he’s got Park 52 (5201 S. Harper Ave.; 773-241-5200) and Room 21 (2110 S. Wabash Ave.; 312-328-1198) under his belt, Jerry Kleiner is looking for the next big score. Or, rather, scores. In October, Kleiner plans to open a 120-seat “nice little Italian eclectic” spot at 8 First Avenue in downtown Hinsdale. After that, he’s got his eye on Old Town, specifically an old warehouse garage in the 1400 North block of Wells Street. “I had to dig out a basement, so I’m getting to the...

Posted at 06:49 PM in Dish | Permalink | Comments (15)

06/18/08

Wine, cheese, and seat belts

Mass Marketing

“About a year ago I made the decision that we had outgrown what we were doing,” says Eric Larson, the owner of Marion Street Cheese Market (100 S. Marion St., Oak Park; 708-848-2088). So Larson moved the market across the street into a 4,200-square-foot space, which houses a retail gourmet shop, a “cheese-centric” 60-seat Euro-style deli and...

Posted at 05:38 PM in Dish | Permalink | Comments (0)

06/11/08

Italian Kicks, Cheap Tricks

Goodbye Milk, Hello Prosciutto

Carol Watson recently shuttered her Milk & Honey Bake Shop (1543 N. Damen Ave.; 773-227-1167) with plans to spin it into Cipollina, an Italian deli. “Business was fine, but I screwed up, quite frankly,” says Watson. “We don’t have a kitchen on site, so we were dragging everything over from Milk & Honey Café [1920 W. Division St.; 773-395-9434], and it was driving me nuts.” Watson is now working with John Manion (Mas) on a menu of...

Posted at 05:15 PM in Dish | Permalink | Comments (2)

06/05/08

Of Cheez-Its and Lamb Loins

Sneak Peek

Last Friday afternoon, a trusted FOD got tipped off that Graham Elliot (217 W. Huron St.; 312-624-9975)—still awaiting its liquor license at the time—was opening quietly that evening, and he had no trouble scoring a table. Considering the high profile Graham Elliot Bowles cuts on the dining scene, the début of the chef’s eagerly anticipated spot was relentlessly low profile. Then again, plenty of foodies must have heard the same...

Posted at 04:59 PM in Dish | Permalink | Comments (1)

05/28/08

Sweet Avenues

A Star Is Born

Dennis Ray Wheaton, Chicago magazine’s chief dining critic, is set to add a new name to the league of extraordinary chefs in Chicago: Curtis Duffy. Duffy, 32, recently stepped into the huge void left at Avenues (The Peninsula Chicago, 108 E. Superior St.; 312-573-6754) by the departure of Graham Elliot Bowles—a daunting task, even for a veteran of Alinea and Charlie Trotter’s. But it appears Duffy is up to the task. “The meal I had was in the league of [Grant] Achatz and Bowles, and beyond [Homaro] Cantu in brilliance of flavors and old-fashioned refinement,” Wheaton says. “Duffy uses a lot of grains, foams, berries, and you get the true...

Posted at 05:55 PM in Dish | Permalink | Comments (9)

05/21/08

French Kiss

From BB’s to Brigitte Bardot

The owners of BB’s (22 E. Hubbard St.), a pub that lasted less than two years, are in the process of reconcepting their River North space into Madame Tartine, a 1960s-style French brasserie. “French food is too serious in Chicago,” says Donnie Kruse, a partner. “We are going to have a lot of fun. Hubbard Street will become the Côtes d’Azur.” Kruse describes the décor as “feminine and realistic European,” and the food from chef Jon Foster (Savarin, Le Passage) as “approachable, honest, hearty French food.” (Think escargots, steak tartare, and plenty of rosé.) ETA: late June, says Kruse. “We’re just waiting for our trunks to get...

Posted at 05:57 PM in Dish | Permalink | Comments (18)